Pre-cast concrete construction block with manipulation handles and method of production

ABSTRACT

A pre-cast concrete construction block and method of producing same including handles at the lateral transverse webs. The handles are ledges cantilevered from said transverse webs adjacent the upper surface in either a 3-web or a 2-web configuration. In another embodiment, the handles are provided by voids within the lateral transverse webs. A method of production of the block includes a T-shaped core adjacent the bottom of a two-part cavity mold so as to facilitate flow of concrete material and completion of the cavity fill prior to set up.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The modern construction environment and growing requirements for workplace safety and workload limits are becoming increasingly inconsistent with the standardized pre-cast-concrete building block. This prior art block is of generally rectangular outline and includes a trio of webs connecting the inner and outer faces. Modern construction is also tending towards high-speed operations which limit construction time and take advantage of just-in time availability of labour and materials. The individual standard pre-cast standard block remains awkward and overly heavy for manual work particularly at high rates of construction speed. The construction worker is required to handle these heavy blocks increasingly rapidly and over obstacles and other hindrances. Solutions are apparent which require automation of the delivery and setup operation within the construction site but such machinery is capital intensive, cumbersome and difficult to use. Consequently residential construction is tending to prefer poured-in-place foundations despite the tendency of such foundations to structural cracks and the difficulty in effecting repairs despite the relative inflexibility of such approaches.

Efforts have been directed towards automated handling machines which are extremely expensive, require skilled labour for installation, operation and use and also towards lighter materials which are inappropriate for many building types and conditions.

Many builders prefer a pre-cast concrete block foundation and rely upon a ready supply of inventory standard blocks for successful construction. Such inventory allows supplies to build at a consistent or determined rate and achieve economies of operation and, thus, acceptable prices.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, a pre-cast-concrete building block is provided which conveniently provides a building element readily used on a building site which is both lighter in weight and considerably less stressful to manipulate to the site of use, in setup and in installation in either a 3-web or a 2-web configuration. Its strength is not compromised and the block may be readily and rapidly formed on conventional concrete block forming machinery.

Additionally, the invention provides a method of manufacture of pre-cast blocks in either a 3-web or a 2-web configuration including means for ready and efficient candling.

In particular, the invention provides a pre-cast symmetrical concrete construction block of generally rectangular outline with an upper and a lower surface, a pair of opposing generally planar spaced-apart first webs adapted to support a structure and provide an interior and an exterior foundation or wall surface, a plurality of spaced-apart transverse webs interconnecting said first webs extending from said lower to said upper surface and providing at least one void between said first webs, wherein a pair of said transverse webs are spaced in from a respective end extremity of said block, and wherein said pair of said transverse webs include lifting means adjacent said upper surface.

The invention also provides a handle laterally extending from said transverse web, and, in another embodiment, a handle void in said transverse web, adjacent the upper surface of the block.

A method of production of pre-cast symmetrical concrete construction blocks of generally rectangular outline is also provided comprising the steps of providing a two-part cavity mold, including a base portion and a shaped mold portion, with a generally T-shaped core adjacent said base portion, filling said mold, allowing said concrete to partially or completely set up, removing said core laterally from said mold, removing said shaped portion, and removing said setup concrete block from said base for further cure.

DRAWINGS

In the drawings, like element designations refer to like parts throughout, and:

FIG. 1 provides a pictorial view of a standard 3-web pre-cast-concrete construction block showing the standard configuration and the extended handle of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the block of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A′ in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a similar view to that of FIG. 2 including a variation in the handle of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are a plan view and an elevation of the block of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of the preferred embodiment of the invention in a 2-web pre-cast-concrete block.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the block of FIG. 6 taken along line B-B′ in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an end elevation of the block of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 shows a T-shaped core section adjacent a cavity mold base plate.

FIG. 10 shows a 2-web configuration of the block of FIG. 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated herein, the invention may be practiced in accordance with a first embodiment of FIG. 1.

The building block in accordance with the subject invention is generally identified by the reference numeral 1. It comprises a pair of planar vertical surfaces 2 which typically form the spaced-apart inner and outer walls of the structure being built. Outer surfaces 2 are connected by 3 transverse webs as at 17. Upper and lower block surfaces 3 and 4 extend between outer surfaces 2 respectively and provide the structural bearing surfaces.

Webs 17 are spaced apart and provide internal voids as at 5 and 6 in FIG. 1 and are stepped in from the lateral extremities of block 1 at each end as at 7 and 8.

In FIG. 1 is shows a typical block construction at the left extremity of block 1 and an embodiment of the invention as at handle 9 at the right extremity. The complete embodiment would include handle 9 at end lateral end of block 1 for balanced lifting adjacent vertical web extension 12′.

Later step 8 includes lateral vertical surfaces 10 and 11, inset surface 8 a and web extensions as at 12 in FIG. 1.

Handle 9 is integrally formed with and into lateral web 17 during casting and includes horizontal surface 13, generally vertical surface 14, inclined surface 15.

Preferably, surface 13 is formed into and provides an extension of block upper surface 3.

Further preferably, inclined surface 15 provides a gripping surface for manual or other lifting of the finished block and its installation at a construction site. Further, since the block 1 would typically be formed in an inverse mold, inclined surface 15 would provide for plastic flow of molding material into a corresponding mold cavity so as to effectively form handle 9.

Handle 9 may include gaps 16 between it and the vertical surface 12 as shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 2 a cross-section of block 1 taken along line A-A′ in FIG. 1 is shown.

In FIG. 3 another embodiment of block 1 is shown in cross-section. Handle 9′ extends laterally to the edge of block 1 with enlarged surfaces at 13′ and 15′ so that vertical surface 14′ is aligned with vertical surfaces 10 and 11.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a plan view and an elevation of the block 1 embodiment of FIG. 3. Handle 9 b′ is formed at the opposite lateral extremity of block 1 in the same form as handle 9 a′.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 the 3-web 17 design of FIGS. 1 through 5 is replaced with a 2-web design for further ease in manufacture and handling.

In this embodiment the handle 9″ (FIG. 8) is formed integrally with the upper surface 3 of webs 17. Each web 17 is provided with a pair of co-operating cantilever sections as at 18 so as to form a gap 24. Opposing vertical surfaces 19, outwardly inclined surfaces 20 and further vertical surfaces 21 provide for an enlarged opening in the web suitable for a workman's hands or automated equipment. The gap is closed by horizontally extending surface 22 spaced from upper surface 3.

Inclined surfaces 21 provide for smooth and ready casting of the block 1 in high-speed operations in an inverted mold (as with the block of FIGS. 1 through 5) and lifting surfaces 20 in the resulting block.

Due to the instep provided by surfaces 12 and the handle 9″ a workman's hands or other equipment may carry and place the blocks of FIGS. 6 through 8 in rapid and abutting succession during construction of a foundation wall or other structure in a known manner.

In FIG. 7 is shown a cross-section of the block of FIG. 6 taken along line B-B′ which shows the extended central void 23 between webs 17.

In FIG. 8 is shown an end elevation of the block of FIG. 6 which shows the load bearing inclined surfaces 20 and the gap 24 of handle 9″.

In manufacture, the handle 9″ of FIG. 8 may be formed by plastic flow of molding material around a removable generally T-shaped insert in the shape of handle 9″ as at 25 in FIG. 9. The insert 25 would bear upon the base 26 of an inverted mold (not shown) and allow for compressive and vibration stresses on the molding material for completion of the cavity filling operation, settlement, removal and setting up, along with the various handling operations required for high-speed molding operations. After setting up the insert would be withdrawn laterally from the mold prior to the extraction of the partially set and dimensionally stable block.

FIG. 10 shows a 2-web configuration of the standard 3-web block of FIG. 1. In FIG. 10 the block is shown with a handle of the present invention at one lateral extremity which would be repeated (not shown) at the other lateral extremity for a typical pair. Webs 17′a and 17′b would be inset from the lateral ends of the block 1 by a greater amount as at 7 and 8 than would be typical of the 3-web block of FIG. 1. Only a single internal void 5′ would be formed thereby making the block considerably lighter in overall weight, easier to manipulate and less likely to fracture upon impact due to its reduced mass. The larger inset as at 8 would provide capacity for a varying width of handle and a variable extent and slope for inclined surface 15.

The present invention includes a preferred method of molding of a pre-cast concrete construction block including the steps of preparing an inverted mold having at least 2 web spaces providing at least 1 void and lateral insteps, providing a generally T-shaped core insert 25 extending laterally along the base 26 of the mold inverted so as to bear upon the narrow portion of the T as at 27 and including generally inclined surfaces 28 so as to facilitate plastic flow of molding material or concrete in a high-speed manufacturing operation, adding concrete casting material to the mold cavity, ensuring cavity fill with vibration or other compaction means, setting up the casting material, lateral withdrawal of the insert 25, removal of the mold and curing the finished product.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is intended to be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and omissions in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. 

1) A pre-cast symmetrical concrete construction block of generally rectangular outline comprising: a) an upper and a lower surface, b) a pair of opposing generally planar spaced-apart first webs adapted to support a structure and provide an interior and an exterior foundation or wall surface, c) a plurality of spaced-apart transverse webs interconnecting said first webs i) extending from said lower to said upper surface and ii) providing at least one void between said first webs, d) wherein a pair of said transverse webs are spaced in from a respective end extremity of said block, and e) wherein said pair of said transverse webs include lifting means adjacent said upper surface. 2) A construction block as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lifting means comprise laterally extending handle means. 3) A construction block as claimed in claim 2 wherein said handle means comprises a ledge means cantilevered from a respective transverse web. 4) A construction block as claimed in claim 3 wherein said ledge means extends outwardly from said transverse web, 5) A construction block as claimed in claim 4 wherein said ledge means extends between said first webs. 6) A construction block as claimed in claim 5 wherein said ledge means extends between but is not integrated into said first webs. 7) A construction block as claimed in claim 6 wherein said ledge means includes a substantially vertical outer edge, an upper ledge surface contiguous with said upper surface and an inclined lower surface. 8) A construction block as claimed in claim 7 wherein said inclined lower surface is inclined at a substantial angle from the vertical. 9) A construction block as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lifting means is provided by a void within each respective one of said pair of transverse web means. 10) A construction block as claimed in claim 1 wherein said void comprises a narrow channel adjacent said upper surface and an enlarged handle portion internal to a respective one of said transverse webs. 11) As in claim 10 wherein said handle portion includes at least one upper bearing surface and a lower edge substantially spaced from said upper surface. 12) A construction block as claimed in claim 11 wherein said bearing surface comprises an inclined surface extending outwardly from said narrow channel towards said lower edge. 13) A construction block as claimed in claims 10, 11 or 12 wherein said void is generally T-shaped. 14) A method of production of pre-cast symmetrical concrete construction blocks of generally rectangular outline comprising the steps of providing a two-part cavity mold, including a base portion and a shaped mold portion, with a generally T-shaped core adjacent said base portion, filling said mold, allowing said concrete to partially or completely set up, removing said core laterally from said mold, removing said shaped portion, and removing said setup concrete block from said base for further cure. 